I do find it ironic (far too weak a word, I know) that a political party supposedly dedicated to Free Speech and so opposed to 'cancel culture' are also so keen to support book bans. Maybe they're not as 'freedom' loving as they like to make out....?
6 comments:
They only want freedom for themselves.
So... I can understanding having book boundaries in the classroom, where only children are congregated, but the move to try to police books in public libraries definitely bothers me. Even more troubling is that many kids will discover explicit content online long before they ever see it in a book (the average age for first p*rn exposure is somewhere between 8 and 12). I am not sure how policing books actually solves a very real problem.
@ Marianne: It certainly seems that way.
@ Marian: I understand about having 'age appropriate' books for youngsters which is one reason why there are school or public librarians to (kind of) police that sort of thing. But I was often reading 'above my age range' which I think is a good thing. I read '1984' when I was about 13 (for example) and read other 'adult' books - like 'The Godfather' in my mid-teens. I don't think the banning of books as its playing out presently in the US is about preventing inappropriate exposure to sexual imagery or ideas and more about control of information and ideas. I find it laughable (for example) how subjects that make students 'uncomfortable' get talked about. If learning about your countries history *doesn't* make you uncomfortable then you're not really studying history but instead are being taught propaganda. But you're right. Locking up books achieves less than nothing - either you make those books (the old 'forbidden fruit' idea) more popular or you just go online and read it on your unpoliced phone.
"If learning about your countries history *doesn't* make you uncomfortable ..."
I totally agree there. All our countries have skeletons in the closet and we have a duty to tell our children about it, so it doesn't get repeated.
I didn't have as much access to books as children today so I read anything that I could get my hands on, I am sure there was plenty not meant for my age. As to when children are able to read about certain subjects, they usually pick that themselves as soon as they are able to read. My son read all the Lord of the Rings books at eleven and dind't look at children's books any longer. Should I have stopped him? Definitely not.
I absolutely read above my grade/age. I found To Kill a Mockingbird on my uncle's shelf the summer between 5th and 6th grade (so I was 11). Age-appropriate content is needed, but we should not hold kiddos back who have the ability to understand things they want ot read about, on a deeper level.
Basically, the GOP sucks. But we already knew that ;)
Totally agree Sarah, on both counts......!
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